There is plenty of talk about the Grizzlies and by the Grizzlies these days as it relates to the immediate future of key players and head coach Lionel Hollins.

However, members of the team's new ownership group and front office continue to remain quiet — at least publicly.

Griz CEO Jason Levien declined to comment when asked recently about persistent reports that the team is shopping Rudy Gay and gauging the value of other core players such as Zach Randolph.

It's true that the franchise's mode of operation is now predicated on a delicate and tricky task of trying to sustain winning while addressing financial concerns.

It is true that Griz brass has spoken to every team in the NBA about their roster over the past month. That league tour by the team's new management has produced daily rumors about possible deals, most of which involve Gay.

It's also true that the Griz have shown no desire to simply give away their top talent, according to sources with knowledge of the team's mild trade discussions. Although Levien has chosen not to respond publicly to the rampant speculation, he has talked to Gay and his representative.

According to a person with knowledge of those conversations, Gay is likely to remain a Grizzly through the end of this season. The message to Gay at the moment is that if he is dealt by the league's Feb. 21 trade deadline, then the Griz will have been offered a no-brainer scenario.

For example, the Griz have entertained the Washington Wizards' offer for Gay. The crux of that exchange would have the Griz receiving rookie shooting guard Bradley Beal in a larger package. The proposals for Randolph have been even weaker.

None of the potential deals has merit because they aren't believed to be strong enough to keep the Griz on their current pace.

Memphis (24-11) stands fourth in the Western Conference standings. The Griz are just two games behind San Antonio for the Southwest Division lead and 3½ games behind Oklahoma City for the West's top spot.

Gay and Randolph are the Grizzlies' highest-paid players. Each will earn about $16.5 million this season and both players are due more than $17 million for the 2013-14 campaign. The reality is that one of them will be traded in the next two years because Griz ownership doesn't want to be a repeat luxury-tax payer — something that is more punitive in the league's new collective bargaining agreement.

Memphis will have a $4 million luxury tax bill for this season unless it sheds salary.

Finances could be a factor in several decisions by the Grizzlies' new ownership group, which is made up of more than 50 people. In fairness, former Griz owner Michael Heisley gave Gay a maximum-salary contract and Gay simply might not be worth the money to his new bosses.

Meanwhile, Hollins is coaching the final year of his contract without knowing where the organization is leaning with regard to a new deal. Hollins, the team's all-time winningest coach with a 10-10 playoff record, surely will seek a raise from his $2 million salary.

There have been no concrete talks about a contract extension between the Griz and Hollins' agent, Warren LeGarie.

While Levien and his newly assembled management team have been routinely visible and graciously accessible, Griz principal owner Robert Pera is only known to have attended two games. Pera last saw the Griz play Wednesday when they finished a three-game trip with a win at Golden State. Pera also sat courtside in FedExForum for the Grizzlies' home opener against Utah on Nov. 5.

He's had little to no contact with the players, coaching staff or media.

The reserved style is a departure from what Griz fans were used to during Heisley's ownership. Heisley was known for his regular interaction with players and coaches, and his public discourse regarding any issue facing the team on and off the court.

That was then.

Now, with Hollins' future suspect and trade winds blowing hard around players, there is absolute quiet from Pera and Levien's perch at the top as a reasonable question looms: What kind of storm — if any — might be coming?

i think the lakers would be reluctant to take on gay's salary, as it eats into the space after next year. i think they'd do that for a perennial all star, but not for less.

Well my point on that has always been that if they're really truly all in for the next two seasons, they'll take that hit. A core group of Gay/Howard/Nash isn't bad either. Then Gay and Nash expire and if you want you can rebuild again.

pau would be in minnesota in this scenario. i'm not sure what interest memphis would have in pekovic/williams, though. ridnour would be a good backup pg for them (that's a sore area). it would almost require a 4th team.

abeer3 wrote:pau would be in minnesota in this scenario. i'm not sure what interest memphis would have in pekovic/williams, though. ridnour would be a good backup pg for them (that's a sore area). it would almost require a 4th team.

Well I don't know really. I actually think Kirilenko would work better, but Pekovic was the one offered to us and we rejected it.

But if it's between this trade and the Dudley idea, how would this trade not be better, you know?

Either way it's moot. They realized they won't find anyone willing to sell their team for Rudy and now they're moving on. Good choice for them.

The Memphis Grizzlies continue to field calls from teams interested in Rudy Gay and are engaged in active trade discussions with the Toronto Raptors, sources with knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com.

Although the framework of a workable trade has not yet been established, sources told ESPN.com that Toronto -- known to be perhaps Gay's most determined suitor -- has continued to make a hard push for the swingman.

The Grizzlies, though, maintain that last week's luxury-tax-slashing trade with Cleveland means they no longer feel the same pressure to move Gay or another high-priced player before the NBA's Feb. 21 trade deadline.

New Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien told local reporters late last week that "we really like our team" and that it is "more likely than not that we do nothing" in terms of breaking up Memphis' marquee foursome of Gay, point guard Mike Conley, forward Zach Randolph and center Marc Gasol.

But sources say that the Raptors, undaunted by that stance, continue to pursue Gay and also covet Grizzlies forward Darrell Arthur. Toronto, sources said, has made veteran point guard Jose Calderon and blossoming young forward Ed Davis available as the two cornerstones of its offer.

Other teams remain engaged with the Grizzlies as well, as Memphis officials continue to weigh whether it is best to trade Gay or keep together the core of a team that has ranked among the top four in the Western Conference.

If talks with the Raptors do progress, according to sources, it's possible that a trade with Memphis could expand to include other teams and players. NBA front-office sources have maintained for weeks that Calderon (who has an expiring contract), fellow Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (only $1 million in guaranteed salary next season) and former No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani all are available.

The Boston Celtics, sources say, are another team that has registered exploratory interest in Gay. But making a trade for Gay would require Boston to part with Paul Pierce -- a step that Celtics management may not be ready to take, especially since Gay has two years left on his contract valued at more than $35 million.

Sources say that the Grizzlies, meanwhile, know Pierce would likely have strong reservations about leaving Boston for Memphis and aren't sure he could address the various priorities they've identified as musts in a Gay trade, such as adding depth and youth to the roster as well as balancing out a top-heavy payroll.

Sources told ESPN.com on Sunday night, in the wake of Rajon Rondo's season-ending knee injury, that Boston was more likely to pursue Lowry and his cap-friendly contract.

ESPN.com reported Friday that there is no shortage of teams convinced that the Grizzlies might still opt to move Gay before the trade deadline, especially in the wake of their recent trade with Cleveland that shed more than $6 million in salary and took the Grizzlies under the luxury-tax threshold.

But Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins and various players have publicly lobbied for the right to play out this season with no dramatic changes to the roster, now that Memphis will not have a luxury-tax bill at season's end.

Taking the long-term view, however, Memphis' management team under new owner Robert Pera is said to be concerned about its limited ability to keep improving the roster and address obvious concerns regarding the Grizzlies' depth and perimeter shooting. The bulk of Memphis' payroll is tied up in four players: Gay, Conley, Randolph and Gasol.

To convince Cleveland to take back reserves Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby in Tuesday's trade, Memphis was forced to surrender a protected future first-round pick.

The Grizzlies, sources said, were concerned about their lack of future first-round picks before that trade and are thus believed to be pursuing picks as part of any in-season deal involving Gay.

The Grizzlies could also elect to resist in-season trades and then try to move Gay or Randolph in connection with the draft in June or during free agency in July.

Raptors and Grizzlies Moving Closer To Rudy Gay Deal But Still Searching For Third Team

By Adrian Wojnarowski

The final hurdle for the salary dump of Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay to the Toronto Raptors hinges on finding a third team to absorb the expiring contract of Raptors guard Jose Calderon, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Grizzlies have inquired with multiple teams over the past several days, searching for a willing partner to facilitate a three-team deal, sources said.

Despite organizational proclamations to the contrary, new Memphis ownership and management is determined to unload Gay and the $37 million owed him as soon as possible, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Calderon has a $10.5 million expiring contract.

"With so many quality point guards, they're struggling to find a spot for Calderon," one league general manager told Yahoo! Sports.

Preferably, the Grizzlies want a less expensive small forward to plug into the lineup for Gay, sources said. Memphis has been relentless in shopping Gay over the past several weeks.

In a proposed deal, Memphis would likely receive another young Raptors player and a future draft pick, sources said. The Grizzlies have unsuccessfully tried to pry Raptors rookie Terrence Ross as part of the deal, sources said. Toronto has deemed Ross untouchable in these talks.

Recently, the Grizzlies' front office dumped three contracts and a first-round pick – including Mareese Speights, Wayne Ellington and Josh Shelby – onto the Cleveland Cavaliers to get under the luxury-tax threshold.

At 29-15, the Grizzlies are currently the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoff race. Beyond Gay, the Grizzlies have nearly $65 million in contracts locked into forward Zach Randolph and center Marc Gasol through the 2014-15 season. They are determined to lessen luxury-tax implications of holding onto three significant contracts.

And who exactly is gonna want to absorb Calderon's toxic contract? yeah he will bring qualities to a team that needs a PG but, what exactly are the Raptors thinking give up a rising star in Ed Davis for someone like Rudy G? I would not be surprised if someone gets cold-feet at the last second and kills the deal... just to many question marks in this trade..

Their is absolutely no scenario in any fashion that makes the Lakers the 3rd team... absorbing Calderon's contract... I think it's likely Memphis found Boston as the 3rd team and they convinced Boston to take on Calderon.